Richard Reed
March 9, 1939 — October 26, 2016
Richard Lee Reed, age 77 years of Niles, Michigan died at 7:36 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka, Indiana following an extended illness.
He was born on March 9, 1939 in Mishawaka to Adrian Louis and Beldora May (Bollman) Reed. He graduated from the former Lakeville (Indiana) High School, has lived in this area all of his life, and has been at home in Niles since 1981. He was always employed in auto parts distribution and sales, first at the Studebaker Corporation, and then at the former Freeman-Spicer Studebaker, Mercedes, & Peugeot automobile dealership in South Bend. In retirement, he has been employed at the Michiana Delivery Service in Niles.
Richard was a member of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church in Niles where he also served on the finance board, as an elder, and an usher. He maintained a great interest in all things about Studebaker, and volunteered as a tour guide at the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend. He also volunteered at the Berrien County Youth Fair, and at the Niles Senior Center where he provided transportation for veterans to the VA clinics. He enjoyed traveling, both domestically and internationally, and enjoyed his flower and vegetable gardens, and all of the pet dogs at home.
On September 10, 1981 in Plymouth, Indiana he married the former Irma D. Kruger with whom he celebrated last month the thirty-fifth anniversary of their wedding.
Surviving family includes his wife, Irma Reed; his daughter, Susan Renee (& Michael) McWilliams of Hawesville, Kentucky; and Irma’s children, Kenneth Robert Beaudoin of Elkhart, Indiana, Karen Linn (& Michael) Corwin of Niles, and Karla Marlene (& JR) Meyer of Elkhart; grandchildren Sara (& Eric) Tener, Jess (& Jennifer) Fisher, Lance Beaudoin, Cindy Corwin, and Tina (& Brian) Westveer; six great-grandchildren; and Richard’s siblings, Carolyn Kaiser of Niles, Robert Reed of Granger, Indiana, and William Reed of Florida; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral for Richard Reed will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 31, 2016 at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church with the Rev. Joseph T. Liss of the church officiating. Committal will follow at Mission Hills in Niles.
The family will receive relatives and friends from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles. Contributions in memory of Richard may be made to Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1340 Sycamore Street, Niles, Michigan 49120; or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 North Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, Illinois 60601.